FROM THE
INDUSTRY
How Smart Depot EV Charging Infrastructure Can Help to Reduce Costs
As fleets transition to electric vehicles (EVs), attention is often focused on vehicle costs, grants, and range. But one of the most powerful ways to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) is at the depot.
EV depot infrastructure isn't just about installing chargers. It's about optimising how, when, and where vehicles charge to minimise energy costs and future-proof operations. Done right, smarter infrastructure can significantly lower operating costs while improving fleet efficiency.
A scalable charging strategy starts with a depot energy assessment. Understanding current capacity, peak loads, and future fleet growth helps avoid overbuilding – or worse, underinvesting. Planning for modular upgrades reduces capital costs and downtime. Often this will work as a phased approach, whereby the transition starts in the places where the vehicles and infrastructure can be implemented with minimal disruption. This also allows for future budgets to be estimated more accurately due to experience.
Power Management is Key
To lower the costs further, organisations must plan carefully and take control of their energy usage. Smart chargers and telematics software integrations can help fleets to avoid peak-time electricity rates by charging vehicles overnight or during low-demand hours.
Furthermore, load balancing also helps to avoid costly grid upgrades. Instead of drawing full power to every charger simultaneously, the system staggers usage across vehicles therefore reducing strain on the site’s electrical capacity. Essentially, through careful planning you can make small savings which accumulate into a much lower overall TCO.
These solutions may seem complex at first, and many organisations may lack the internal resources to successfully implement them. This is why many fleet operators turn to EV charging partners such as Mer. They can help to design the solutions, assist with regulatory compliance, oversee the entire infrastructure installation and provide long-term support as well as training.
Getting the Right Help
Partnering with charging specialists can also unlock access to grants, financing, and tailored power contracts, further reducing upfront and ongoing costs. This can also mean integrating with renewable energy sources. A partner like Mer, owned by Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewables provider, adds an extra layer of efficiency to the process with solutions to cut energy bills and boost sustainability credentials, which is increasingly important for winning public contracts and meeting ESG targets.
The shift to electric fleets is more than a change in vehicles, it’s a transformation in how fleets operate. By investing in smarter depot infrastructure, operators can unlock long-term TCO savings, reduce emissions, and increase operational resilience.
At Mer, we have over 9 years of experience working with over 700 business customers including IKEA and DX Delivery. We have been voted one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers for fleet EV charging, as voted by the Fleet News Recommended Programme for 2025. If you wish to find out more, please click the button below to download our depot e-guide. In this guide, we outline how to develop a long-term, cost-effective, and scalable electrification strategy for your depot(s).
Natasha Fry
Mer UK’s Head of Sales - fleet and workplace
